While I am waiting to see if I can have cross-posting permission from one
of these vets you'll want to go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list/messages
 
and go back to the messages from Dr. Ruth Heller, Dr. Bruce Williams, and
Dr. Mark Burgess on IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) which were posted on
Thursday 11/15 and are post numbers 8717, 98726, and 8728 if you have a
ferret which might have this problem, or if you simply like to learn.
It's an area which is still new for information sharing and learning.
For that reason and because I do not know when or if I will receive
permission from one participant I now include the header that will start
that cross-post series should it appear:
 
[Sukie note: a vet, Ben Otten, posed questions on
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list asking what assorted vets
would do with a given suite of symptoms.  It's one of those areas in which
more is still being learned.  As a result, I am providing his questions
and the suite of replies, in order received, for your consideration, and
so that those with ferrets undergoing GI difficulties can review options
and know that there still is a lot of share and a lot to learn.
 
In the case of our Scooter Dr. Mark Burgess' description fits like a
glove; others may fit different fits for different ferrets and different
situations.
 
Ferret medicine has come a huge way in the last 20 years; almost nothing
was then known; heck, it's only been 11 years since the work was completed
to have a rabies vaccine that meets the strict standards of the USDA, and
only 3 years since the CDC rabies-virus-shedding studies were completed
and the Compendium for Animal Rabies control changed to be more fair to
ferrets.
 
A lot has been done but a lot more need to be done; you can help that
effort with donations to those places that achieve such advances: certain
veterinary universities such as UGA and Dept. of Comparative Med at MIT,
a few clinics such as the AMC and Charles Weiss', the AFIP (which is
working on a tissue bank that can be used by researchers anywhere to
facilitate more effective work (Research for Ferrets, Dept. of
Telemedicine, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington DC
20306-6000; your check should be made out to the Registry of Veterinary
Pathology, and at the bottom should be marked "For Ferret Research"), and
the Morris Animal Foundation (specify "ferret" or "domestic ferret":
1-800-243-2345, 45 Inverness Dr. E., Englewood, CO 80112-5480).
 
I am sure that others will fill in contact info that I don't have handy
right now.  As you will note in the cross-posts there are more yet places
that can use funds to help improve ferret medical care.  This year Steve
and I can't give our usual figure (over $1,000) because income will soon
be going away; at least I can let you know about the need so that those
who want to see such improvements can give.]
 
Please, note that although the FHL's moderators do not have to ask
permission to cross-post we do so as a courtesy which we feel is only
fair and polite.
[Posted in FML issue 3607]